Track-laying machine.



0. M. SIMPSON. TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25, 1912 Patented May 27, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

BY HWMM A TTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. D. C

C. M. SIMPSON. TRACK LAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 25, 1912.

BY J H A T f hNfl COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D c.

G. M. SIMPSON.

TRAGKLAYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00w. 25, 1912.

Patented May 27, 1913.

s sums-SHEET 3' INVENTOR By flu wrea HORNE Y6 g g 61 r 5 /4. d/ 15.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTDN, D, (Iv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. SIMPSON, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE-SIXTHS TO HOWARD F. SMITH, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

TRACK-LAYING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. SIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track-Laying Ma-.

chines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in track laying machines.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described, which may be secured upon the ordinary flat railway cars commonly used for carrying railway ties and rails and is provided for the purpose of removing said ties and rails from the cars on which they are carried and placing them in position along the road bed so that they may be readily constructed into a permanent railway track. For the purpose of carrying out this object the machine is provided with tram ways which may be secured upon the cars along each side and which are provided with transverse rotatable rollers, operatively connected with a. suitable engine carried by the machine, and which have suitable joints or connections between their sect-ions whereby they will accommodate themselves to the course of the cars in passing over curved track.

A further feature of the device resides in the provision of means for connecting the engine with and disconnecting the same from the transverse rollers of the tram or guide ways.

A still further feature resides in the provision of suitable derricks mounted upon the frame work of the machine and provided for the purpose of picking up the rails from the tram carrying the same and placin said rails in position for use on either side of the road bed.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevation and plan views, respectively, of the joints connecting the outer members of the tram ways. Figs. 5 and 6 are plan and side views, re-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 25, 1912.

Patented May 27, 1913.

Serial No. 727,684.

spectively, of the joints connecting the inner members of the tram ways. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the forward end of the tram members of the tram for transporting the ties. Fig. 8 is a detail showing the operative connection of the motive shaft and the tram rollers. Figs. 9 and 10 show side elevation and end views, respectively, of the sliding joint connecting the sections of the motive shaft, said joint being located between the tram way sections. Fig. 11 is a detail view of the rail tram support. Figs. 12 and 13 show, respectively, side elevation and end views of the clutch used for connecting the motor with and disconnecting the same from the drive shaft. Figs. lt and 15 show, respectively, an end view and side elevation of the clutch rod, and Fig. 16 shows a fragmentary view of the clutch lever.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates a flat car, which is of the usual construction and which is provided for the purpose of carrying the rails and ties, and the numeral 2 refers to a pilot car upon which the operative mechanism of the machine is erected. The pilot car 2 is provided with suitable transverse cross beams 3 which are mounted thereon and project beyond the sides of the car and the frame work 4. is secured upon the under side of the ends of these beams, said frame work extending a considerable distance beyond the front end of the car 2 and being somewhat wider than said car. Near the center of said framework is a suitable derrick support 5 which is constructed of heavy durable timber and which extends upwardly therefrom. This derrick support is held in position upon the frame work 4t by means of suitable guy rods 6, which are secured to the top of said support and to the frame work, and which are provided with turn buckles of the usual construction, by means of which said rods may be lengthened and shortened. The forward or delivery end of the frame work is arranged to be elevated or lowered by reason of the fact that the side members thereof are hinged together at the point 7, and the extreme front end of said frame work is supported by means of the cables 8 which are secured to the front ends of said side members and pass over the top of the derrick support and are secured, at their other ends to the rear end of the pilot car. These cables are provided with suitable turn buckles 9 for lengthening or shortening the same and elevating and lowering the front end of the frame work. Upon one side of the car 2 and mounted upon the cross beams 3 is the tie tram way 10, which is composed of two side members suitably secured together so as to foan a chute of a width suflicient to permit an ordinary railway tie to pass lengthwise therealong and between the side members of this tram way are suitable cross rollers 11, over which the ties pass in passing along the tram. This tram way is made in sections, each section being preferably about twenty feet in length, the tram way extending back the full length of the train of cars carrying the ties to be laid, and the tram way carried by said cars is not secured thereto but is merely mounted thereon and held in position by the usual side standards carried by flat cars, being mounted on rollers 12 so that as the distance between the cars varies in passing around curves and in start ing and stopping a train the tram way may move readily on said supporting rollers to accommodate itself to the varying position of the cars.

The tram way sections are united by means of hinge connections shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the Figs. 3 and f showing the union between the outside members of the tram way and the union between the inside members of the tram way sections being shown in Figs. 5 and 6. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4:, the end of one of the outer tram way members is provided with a socket 13 having a metallic lining 14 and the adjacent end of the corresponding tram way member of the adjoining section carries a metallic pin 15, which is secured thereto by means of a ball joint 16, the said pin projecting into the socket 13, so as to slide, longitudinally therein as the cars carrying the tram way vary in relation to each other, as in going around a curve. The inside sections of the tramway are connected by means of hinge joints as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 one of said sections being provided with a slot 17, in the end thereof, which has a metallic lining 18, and the other of said sections being provided with a metallic tongue 19, which is secured to the end thereof and which pro jects into said slot and is secured therein by means of a bolt 20, which passes through said tongue and through the tram way mem her into which it projects. As shown in Fig. 7, the front end of each tram way section has an oblong notch near the front end thereof so that when the train is on a curved track as the ties pass along from one section of the tram way to another, the ends thereof will have a certain amount of lateral play to permit them to pass from one section to another without engaging against the sides of the tram way.

The rail tramway 21 is substantially similar to the tie tramway but differs somewhat, in the details of construction, as will be hereinafter pointed out, but this tramway does not rest upon the fiat cars but is secured to the sides thereof in a manner presently to be described.

Referring to Fig. 11, a fragmentary end view of the car 1, is therein shown and secured to the side member thereof is a metallic socket 22, secured in which is the metallic arm 23 which extends downwardly therefrom and which has a slightly outward curve. Secured to this arm near its upper end is the outwardly extending spindle 24:, which is so secured to said arm as to be readily adjusted either vertically or laterally thereon and rotatably mounted upon this spindle is the roller 25, having its ends enlarged as shown and carrying upon each end thereof the flanges 26 and 27 Between the flanges 26 and 27 and resting upon the en larged ends of the roller 25 are the side memb-ers of the rail tram, or guide way 21, the said rail tram being provided with suitable transverse rollers 29 which are rotatably mounted on cross shafts secured in said side members and the rail tram is of simliar construction to the tie tram already described and its sections are constructed in a similar manner to the sections of the tie tram, as hereinbefore described. This rail tram extends to the front end of the pilot car but it is not necessary that it extend rearwardly as far as the tie tram, inasmuch as there are not as many rails to be placed as ties and the rails are usually carried on the cars nearest the pilot car. The rail trams are further braced by means of the rod 30, which is secured to the collar 31 surrounding the roller and which is also adjustably secured to the free end of arm 23, and is provided with a turn buckle 32, by means of which it may be lengthened or shortened, and the tram thereby elevated or lowered.

Alined with the rail tram and depending from the forward end of the frame work 4 are the rollers 33, which are provided to receive the rail from said tram and from which said rail is removed, as will be hereinafter described. Each one of these rollers depends from said frame works a little farther than the one immediately in the rear thereof, so as to form a slight incline along which the rails may be easily moved until they are in position to be removed and placed on the road bed.

The outer face of the flange 27 is provided with a bevel gear 84, which meshes with a similar bevel gear 35 mounted in a suitable bearing carried by the spindle 24 and this bevel gear 35 is provided with a hand lever 36, which is rigid therewith and by means of which the same may be turned. By a manipulation of lever 36 the tram section may be moved forwardly or rearwardly. This mechanism is provided to be used in coupling together the tram sections and by its use the sections may be moved until they are in proper position to be coupled.

For the purpose of providing motive power to operate the machine I have mounted upon one of the cross beams 3 an engine 37 of any desirable construction and pro vided with a motive shaft 38, upon which the sprocket wheels 39 and 40 are rigidly mounted. These sprocket wheels are operatively connected with the respective sprocket wheels 41 and 42, loosely mounted upon the shafts 43 and 44, respectively, through the respective sprocket chains 45 and 46. The shafts 43 and 44 are rotatably mounted in suitable bearings carried by the cross beams 3, as shown in Fig. 2. \Vhile the sprocket wheels 41 and 42 are loosely mounted upon their respective shafts they may be clutched therewith or declutched therefrom, by means of the clutches, presently to be described.

The sprocket wheels 41 and 42, respectively, carry annular rims 47 and 48, which are integral with said sprocket wheels. lVithin these respective rims are annular eX- panding open rings 49 and 50. These rings are fixed to their respective central hubs 51 and 52, rigidly secured to the respective shafts 43 and 44, by means of the respective spokes 53 and 54, which are integral with said hubs and with one side of the respective rings 49 and 50. The hubs 51 and 52 each carry an upstanding arm, said arms being designated, respectively, by the numerals 55 and 56, and the free ends of said arms carrying, respectively, bearing members 57 and 58. As hereinbefore stated, the rings 49 and are open, being slotted through one side and the arms and 56 are inclined outwardly from their supporting hubs so as to bring the bearing members 57 and 58 in alinement with the respective slots of the rings-49 and 50. Rotatably mounted in the respective bearing members 57 and 58 are the respective clutch rods 59 and 60, the inner ends of which carry oblong heads which rest in the slots of the rings 49 and 50. Fixed to the outer ends of the respective clutch rods 59 and 60 are crank arms 61 and 62. Slidably mounted upon the shafts 43 and 44, are conical shaped members 63 and 64 which are operated by means of the clutch levers 65 and 66 which in turn are controlled by the manual levers 67 and68.

TV hen it is desired to clutch the sprocket wheels 39 and 40 with their respective shafts, the members 63 and 64 may be slid along the shafts on which they are mounted until their sloping sides come in contact with the free ends of the crank arms 61 and 62 and the free ends of said arms are thus forced outwardly from the shafts 43 and 44, which in turn causes the clutch rods 59 and 60 to rotate and the oblong head of said rod thereby forcing the rings 49 and 50 to eX- pand and grip the respective rings 47 and 48 and the sprocket wheels 39 and 40 are therefore forced to rotate with their respective shafts.

Located between the side members of the tie tramway and near the inside member thereof, is the roller drive shaft 69, which extends along said tram underneath the rollers 11. This shaft is operatively connected with said shaft 42, by means of the tumbler rod 70, which has connection with each of said shafts by means of universal joints. The alternate rollers of the tie tram way are provided upon their inner ends with miter gears 71, having their teeth askew, which mesh with similar gears 72, rigidly mounted upon shaft 69 and by means of which rotation is imparted from the shaft 69 to said alternate rollers. The other rollers of said tram are merely idlers but the driven rollers are sufficiently close together that each tie passing along the tram way will always be in connection with one of them and will be driven thereby. The shaft 69 is composed of sections, the said sections being equal in length to the tram sections and being connected by means of joints such as are shown in detail in Figs. 9 and 10. The sections are so united as to be always operatively connected and at the same time have a limited play toward and from each other as the cars vary in position relative to each other in passing around a curve or in the movement of the train. This result is attained by means of the joint member 73, one end of which is connected by means of a universal joint to one of the shaft sections, and the other end of which is provided with a socket 7 4, in which the end of the other section of said shaft snugly fits. One side of the end of said section fitting into said socket is flattened and the socket is of a shape to conform to the shape of the end fitting therein and by reason of this construction the joint member 7 3 will be forced to rotate with the shaft section fitting therein, but at the same time will have a lengthwise movement relative thereto without being operatively disconnected therefrom. The transverse rollers of the rail tramway are operatively connected with the roller drive shaft 75, by 1 means of miter gears, with their teeth askew, as hereinbefore described, and said shaft is opcratively connected with shaft 43, by means of the tumble rod 7 6, the sections of said shaft 7 5 being united by means of the same kind of joints as unite the sections of the shaft 69. The gear of each roller is held in mesh with its respective gear of the roller drive shafts by means of a double bearing member 76, having bearings therein extending at right angles to each other. The shaft of each roller 11 passes through one of the bearings of its bearing member and the roller drive shaft passes at right angles to the roller shaft and through the other of said bearings, and the drive shafts are thus held suspended from the roller shafts and the driving gears are firmly held in mesh, as shown in Fig. 8. The forward or delivery end of the tie tramway is provided with two short sections 77 and 78, which extend in a diagonal direction across the framework, the transverse rollers of the latter section projecting slightly above the side members thereof, and being larger in diameter than the other rollers so as to accelerate the movement of the ties and prevent the jamming thereof at the discharge end of the tramway and the ties are thus discharged from the tramway in a transverse position relative to the framework and pass under the cross beam 79 which is mounted upon the front end of the frame work 4, and fall upon the track 80, which is provided on each side with rollers 81. This track has a decided declination and the ties pass along the same over the rollers 81 and drop off on to the road bed in a transverse position, as shown in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of picking up the rails from the rollers 33 and placing them in their pro-per position on either side of the track, I have provided the derricks 82 and 88, the former of which is secured to the derrick support 5, at the point 84, and the latter of which is secured to the cross beam 59 at the point 85, and these derricks are held sus pended in the usual manner, by means of cables 86 and S7, which are secured to the free ends thereof, respectively, and are also attached to the top of the derrick support 5. Suspended from the free ends of the derricks 82 and 83 are the respective air hoists 88 and 89, which are operated by compressed air, in the well known manner, through the hose 90 and 91, which are connected with the air reservoir 92, which in turn is supplied from the air hose of the train provided for the purpose of operating the brakes and of the usual construction. The introduction of air to the hoists is controlled by the operator through the hand rods 93, and 94. These hoists are provided with the tongs 95 and 96, which are suspended therefrom and are provided for the purpose of picking up the rails from the rollers 33.

As hereinbefore stated, the tie tram is mounted upon the side of the cars carrying the ties-and in order to allow room therefor the under tiers of ties are placed on the with by said ties, but the upper tiers of ties may be permitted to extend out over the tie tram so as to evenly balance the weight of the ties on the car and yet not interfere with the operation of the tie tramway.

I am aware that track laying machines somewhat similar to the one herein described have heretofore been patented and are now in use but the machine described in this specification is believed to be superior to other machines of a similar character in several particulars, to-wit:

First. The entire tie tram is mounted upon the car bed but not secured thereto so that when all of the ties have been unloaded from the train the entire tram may be re moved from the transporting cars without disconnecting the sections thereof and the train may then be disconnected from the pilot car and removed and another train of loaded cars may be connected to the pilot car and the tie tram replaced in position on the cars and the unloading of the ties proceeded with. In machines of this character now in common use the tie tram is secured to the cars in the same manner as the rail tram of this machine and much time is required in detaching said tram from the cars when it becomes necessary to remove empty cars and replace them with loaded ones.

Second. The roller drive shafts 69 and 7 5 in this machine are o-peratively connected with the rollers to be driven thereby by means of miter gears having their teeth askew so that said shafts may be located beneath the driven rollers and between the side members of the trams and said shafts are thus protected and the workmen are not liable to come in contact therewith and be injured thereby. In many of the machines now in common use these drive shafts are on the outside of the trams and are exposed to the workmen operating the machine, who are liable to be injured thereby.

Third. The engine 35 is directly connected with said roller drive shafts and provision is made for readily disconnecting said engine from said shafts, by means of a simple and easily operated mechanism.

Fourth. The tram sections are connected by means of hinges, which permit the sections to readily change their position relative to each other, as the cars vary in their position relative to one another in starting and stopping the train and in passing around curves, and the sections of the roller drive shafts are connected by means of joints which permit the lengthening and shorten ing of said shafts to accommodate them to the various movements of the train without operatively disconnecting the sections of said shafts, and

Fifth. The machine is provided with suitable derricks which are operatively connected with the train locomotive and which are operated thereby, provided to pick up the heavy rails carried forward by the rail tram and place them at the proper place along the side of the road bed, and by reason of the provision of two pivotally mounted der ricks two rails may be placed upon each side of the road bed without moving the machine and thus at least sixty feet of track can be laid while the machine is in one location, whereas, machines of this character now in common use will only lay about onehalf of that amount while in one location.

hat I claim is 1. The combination with a train of cars, of sectional tramways carried thereby, one tramway being supported upon the cars and the other being secured to the sides thereof, the tramways extending along both sides of the cars, the sections of said tramways having rollers mounted therein and their inner sides flexibly or pivotally connected together and their outer sides slidably connected together and means for operating said rollers.

2. The combination with a train of cars, of sectional tramways on each side, one of said tramways being mounted on the cars and the other being suspended from the sides thereof the sections of said tramways having their ends on one side flexibly or pivotally connected together and on the other side connected by a sliding joint, transversal rollers mounted in the tramways whose inner ends carry askew gears and means within the tramways operatively connected with said gears for operating said rollers.

3. The combination with a train of cars, of sectional tramways on each side, one of said tramways being mounted on the cars and the other being secured to the sides thereof, transverse rollers mounted in said tramways and having askew gears on their inner ends, sectional drive shafts within the tramways and underneath the rollers, the sections thereof being connected by universal sliding joints, askew gears carried by said drive shafts and operatively connected with the roller gears and adapted to rotate said rollers through said gears.

4. The combination with the train of cars, of sectional tramways removably supported on the sides thereof, one of said tramways being mounted upon the cars and the other being secured to the sides thereof and having its upper surface beneath the upper surface of the beds of the cars, transverse rollers in said tramways, askew gears on the inner ends of the rollers, sectional drive shafts within the tramways and underneath the rollers and having their sections united by means of a universal sliding union, askew gears on said drive shafts which have operative connection with the roller gears, and tumbling rods transmitting motion to the drive shafts.

5. A sectional tramway having its sections flexibly connected at one side of the ends of said sections, and slidably connected atthe other side of said ends, transverse rollers mounted on shafts in bearings in said tramway, gears carried by the inner ends of said rollers, a drive shaft underneath the rollers and within the sides of the tramway, gears carried by the drive shaft and operatively connected with the gears of the rollers and adapted to rotate the rollers, a motive means and a tumbling-rod operatively connecting the motive means and the drive shaft.

6. A sectional tramway having its sections flexibly connected at one side of the ends of the sections, and slidably connected at the other side of said ends, transverse rollers mounted in bearings in said tramway, gears carried by the inner ends of said rollers, a sectional drive shaft underneath the rollers and between the tramway sides, the sections of said drive shaft being united by a universal sliding joint, gears carried by the drive shaft and operatively connected with the roller gears, and adapted to rotate the rollers, a motive means and a mechanism operatively connecting the motive means and the drive shaft.

7. The combination, with a train of cars, of sectional tramways carried thereby, one tramway being supported upon the cars but not secured thereto and the other being secured to the sides thereof, the tramways ex tending along both sides of the cars, transverse rollers mounted in said tramways, flexible or pivotal connections uniting the inner sides of the tramway sections and sliding joints uniting the outer sides of said section, means for operating said transverse rollers, a suitable frame work mounted upon one of said cars, a motive means carried thereby and having operative connection with said roller-operative means, means for disconnecting said connection and suitable derricks pivotally mounted upon said frame work.

8. The combination, in a track laying machine with a train of cars of a frame work mounted on one of said cars, having the delivery end. thereof hinged to the main frame so as to be readily elevated and lowered, a track carried by said delivery end and transverse rollers on each side of said track, derricks pivotally nfounted on said frame work, sectional tramways extending from said frame work rearwardly therefrom along each side of said train of cars, one of said tramways being mounted upon the cars and the other of said tramways being secured to and suspended from the sides thereof, the sections of said tramways having their ends on one side pivotally connected together and on the other side connected by a sliding j cint, transverse rollers mounted in the tramways, whose inner ends carry gears, a sectional drive shaft underneath the rollers,

in each tramway and between the tramway sides, a joint member connecting the shaft sections, said joint member being connected to one of said sections by a universal joint and to the other of said sections by a sliding joint, gears carried by the drive shafts and operatively connected with the roller gears and adapted to rotate the rollers, a motive means carried by the framework and a mechanism operatively connecting the motive means and the drive shafts.

9. A sectional tramway having its sections hingedly connected together, transverse rollers mounted on transverse shafts in said tramway, a drive shaft underneath the roll ers and within the sides of the tramway, gears carried by the drive shaft and similar gears carried by the inner ends of said rollers and meshing with the gears carried by said drive shafts, and a bearing member suspended from the roller shaft and through which the drive shaft extends and holding said roller shaft and drive shaft gears in mesh.

10. In a tramway of the character de scribed a bearing member provided with two bearings, extending at right angles to each other rollers in said tramway mounted upon transverse shafts and a drive shaft in said tramway extending longitudinally thereof, the roller shaft of said tramway extending through one of said bearings and the drive shaft extending through the other of said bearings.

11. The combination with a train of cars of a sectional tramway carried thereby having the ends of the sections flexibly connected together, the forward ends of each side of the sections being notched so as to permit the lateral play of the rear ends of the ties passing from one section of the tramway to another.

12. A. sectional tramway having its sections hingedly connected together, transverse rollers mounted on shafts in said tramway, the rollers of the forward or discharge end of the tramway being larger in diameter than the other of said rollers, and a drive shaft underneath the rollers and Within the sides of the tramway and being operatively connected with said transverse rollers.

13. In a tram-way of the character described a sectional drive shaft and a joint member uniting the sections of the shaft, said joint member being connected to one of said sections by means of a universal joint, at one end and the other end thereof being provided with a socket into which one end of the other section of said drive shaft fits so as to be slidable therein, and means preventing said joint member from turning relative to the last mentioned shaft section.

14. The sectional tramway having its sections hingedly connected together, transverse rollers mounted in said tramway and a drive shaft located between the sides of said tramway and being'operatively connected with said transverse rollers.

15. A combination with a train of cars, of a sectional tramway carried thereby, the sections of said tramway having rollers mounted therein and their inner sides flexibly or pivotally connected together and their outer sides slidably connected together and means for operating said rollers.

16. The combination, with a train of cars, of a sectional tramway carried thereby, and extending along the side of the cars, transverse rollers mounted in said tramway, means for operating said rollers, a pivotal connection uniting the inner sides of the tramway sections and sliding joints uniting the outer sides of the tramway sections, a suitable frame-work mounted upon one of said cars, a motive means carried thereby and having operative connections with said roller-operative means, means for disconnecting said connection, and a derrick pivotally mounted upon said frame-work.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES M.- SIMPSON.

Vitnesses:

' E. C. REIOHARDS,

E. F REEBLEOK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ."Patents, Washington, D. C. 

